Murders decrease in Davidson County in 2012

Thursday

Jan 17, 2013 at 2:32 PM

Cases classified as murders by law enforcement in Davidson County dropped dramatically in 2012 compared to 2011.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

Cases classified as murders by law enforcement in Davidson County dropped dramatically in 2012 compared to 2011.The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation reports that Davidson County authorities investigated seven murders in 2011. This past year, only one case was classified as a murder.Burris Thelton Godwin, 42, of 334 J.A. Tysinger Road, Thomasville, was indicted by Davidson County Grand Jury on Dec. 3 for second-degree murder, felony serious injury by vehicle and driving while impaired. He was originally charged with failing to stop for a stop sign, driving left of center, possession of an open container of alcohol, failure to wear a seat belt and driving while impaired. Godwin was the driver of one of the vehicles involved in a head-on-collision on N.C. Highway 109 near U.S. Highway 64 East that occurred around 9:45 p.m. Oct. 12. A passenger in Godwin's car, Harvey Richardson, 64, of Rusty Lane, Clarendon, died.Davidson County District Attorney Garry Frank said his office went to the grand jury with the second-degree murder charge because it had evidence to support it. The district attorney previously said the state will have to determine whether Godwin will be healthy enough to stand trial. Commenting on the decrease of murders in 2012 from 2011, Frank said murder cases "totally" come in cycles."On homicides, there really is no rhyme or reason to it beyond trying to keep it generally low," the district attorney said.In 2011, the Thomasville and Lexington police departments each reported three murders, and the Davidson County Sheriff's Office had one classified as a murder."Murder rates and violent crime collectively has decreased nationwide, according to data from the FBI," TPD Capt. Darren Smith wrote in an e-mail to The Dispatch. "We believe aggressive prosecution on domestic violence and a stronger stance on violent crime in general has had an effect on these stats."Smith and LPD Chief Tad Kepley attribute the decrease in murders and in violent crime to the initiative Project Safe Davidson. Project Safe Davidson — formed in 2010 and a joint partnership with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office and the Lexington, Thomasville and Denton police departments — is a data-driven and prosecution approach to reducing illegal gun and gang activity.Through Project Safe Davidson, representatives from the Davidson Coalition Against Violence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshal's Service, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Davidson County District Attorney's Office and N.C. Probation and Parole, as well as representatives from each law enforcement agency in Davidson County, come together about every six months to meet with chronic offenders for a notification meeting. At the meetings, representatives tell the violent repeat offenders they have been put on a list for Project Safe Davidson. The repeat offenders are also told the choices they have: face the toughest prosecution you can experience if you commit another crime or change your life."Obviously, we take violent crimes very seriously," Kepley said. "We are working with other agencies in the county and the district attorney's office with a special emphasis on violent repeat offenders."Kepley reports 54 people have been notified as repeat offenders. The chief said only 12 have re-offended, and two of those were violent offenses."We believe in the strategy," Kepley said. "It also gives people a chance to turn their lives around."Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said most murders in the county revolve around domestic disputes. He said the county and its cities do not have a lot of robbery-related gang murders or gang shootings. The sheriff said the decrease in murders could be due to the sheriff's office's prompt response to domestic arguments.Kepley agreed the Lexington Police Department understands the importance of "aggressively" investigating domestic violence cases.Denton Police Chief Mark Hicks reported no murders in the Town of Denton in 2011 and 2012.Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.